Although the leak has been stopped, there's still a lot of oil in the Gulf, and many are very worried about the long term results, as indicated in the article below.
Much Oil Remains in Gulf, Researchers Estimate - WSJ.com: "By ROBERT LEE HOTZ
Researchers at the University of Georgia said Monday that more than three-quarters of the oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon drilling-rig explosion could still be in the Gulf threatening fisheries and marine life, disputing government statements that much of the oil had been safely dispersed.
The federal National Incident Command, which has been coordinating clean-up efforts, reported earlier this month that the damaged well had spewed about 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf before it was capped. Half of that oil had been safely burned off, skimmed, or directly recovered and another 25% had evaporated or dissolved, the federal researchers said.
Both the UGA assessment and the federal calculations it contradicts are estimates based on incomplete information. Federal researchers cautioned that their results would be refined as better information becomes available.
The UGA team, which has been at the forefront of investigating the underwater oil plumes created by the leaking well, took a closer look at the government's calculations and came to a more pessimistic conclusion: As much as 79% of the oil and its toxic byproducts still remained in the subsurface waters of the Gulf. Moreover, it might easily be years before these petrochemicals disappear."
